Vinegar Weed Killer: What 5% to 30% Vinegar Kills and What Regrows

Key takeaways

• Age beats strength: 5 and 10 percent vinegar killed weeds during their first 2 weeks of life in USDA ARS trials; older weeds needed higher concentrations, which reached 85 to 100 percent kill (USDA ARS, 2002).
• Broadleaves die, grasses survive: averaged over spray volumes, 20 percent acetic acid gave 94 percent broadleaf control but 28 percent grass control 4 days after spraying; 5 percent gave 67 and 9 percent (Webber et al., 2018, Table 2).
• Roots are untouched: in University of Florida research, 8-week-old spurge, large crabgrass and oxalis sprayed with acetic acid at label rates fully recovered within 4 weeks (UF/IFAS EP580).
• Herbicide-strength vinegar is a registered pesticide: EPA allows vinegar in minimum-risk products only as an inert at 8 percent acetic acid or less, and registered acetic acid herbicides carry the DANGER signal word (40 CFR 152.25(f); NPIC).
• Price per gallon runs from $3.94 for 5 percent grocery vinegar to $29.97 for a registered 20 percent herbicide at Walmart.com on Oct. 28, 2026; the 20 percent label rate of 44 to 88 fl oz per 1,000 sq ft puts that at $10 to $21 per 1,000 sq ft (Vinagreen label).

Does vinegar kill weeds?

Vinegar kills weeds it fully wets, but only the leaves and stems it touches. The National Pesticide Information Center (NPIC) classes acetic acid as a non-selective contact herbicide: it breaks open cell walls, the tissue dries out, and nothing moves to the roots. Seedlings die outright; established perennials lose their tops and resprout, which is why results look better on day 1 than on day 30 (NPIC, Apr. 2024).

How much dies depends on three numbers: acetic acid strength, weed age and spray volume. Montana State University Extension names seedlings at the two- to four-leaf stage as the ideal target, because spray reaches every leaf and the growing point (MSU Extension, June 2021). The Vinagreen label (EPA Reg. No. 85208-1) sets its own window at the 3 to 5 leaf stage (Vinagreen label, 2024).

Spray volume matters as much as strength. In Cornell greenhouse trials, 15 percent vinegar at 636 liters per hectare (about 68 gallons per acre) controlled redroot pigweed and velvetleaf as well as 30 percent at half that volume (Evans, Bellinder and Goffinet, Weed Technology, 2009). University of Maryland Extension gives the same rule for spraying: 10 percent at 70 gallons per acre beat 20 percent at 35 gallons (UMD Extension, Nov. 2024).

What did the vinegar trials actually measure?

Seven field and greenhouse studies with stated concentrations, volumes and weed stages are compiled below. Read the weed stage column first: almost every high kill rate came on weeds with 1 to 6 leaves. The one perennial tested at ARS, Canada thistle, lost 100 percent of its top growth to 5 percent vinegar, a result about shoots, not roots (USDA ARS, May 15, 2002).

Study	Acetic acid and volume	Weeds and stage	Result	Source
USDA ARS Beltsville, 2002	5 to 20%, hand-sprayed to uniform wetting	Lambsquarters, giant foxtail, velvetleaf, smooth pigweed, Canada thistle	5% and 10% killed weeds in their first 2 weeks; higher strengths 85 to 100% at all stages	ARS news release
Webber et al., Oklahoma, 2018	5% and 20% at 20 and 100 gal/acre	Large crabgrass at 1 to 2 leaves; carpetweed at 4 to 5 leaves	20%: 94% broadleaf, 28% grass (averaged); best grass control 44 to 63% at 100 gal/acre	J. Agric. Sci. 10(8)
Evans et al., Cornell, 2009	15 to 30% at about 34 and 68 gal/acre	Redroot pigweed and velvetleaf, cotyledon to 4 leaves	20% at 68 gal/acre: 100% control of 2-leaf pigweed, 73% control and 18% mortality of velvetleaf	Weed Technol. 23(2)
Evans et al., Cornell, 2011	20% at about 75 gal/acre	In-row weeds, cotyledon to 6 leaves	100% in pepper and over 96% in broccoli 1 day after spraying	Weed Technol. 25(3)
Brainard et al., 7 states, 2013	5 to 20% at about 11 gal/acre	Brown mustard at 3 to 4 leaves	At least 15% needed for adequate control; annual grasses poorly controlled	Weed Technol. 27(1)
Abouziena et al., Florida, 2009	5% and 30%	6 broadleaf and 6 grass or sedge species, 2 to 6 leaves	Only 30% acetic acid applied early controlled grass weeds; 4 to 6 leaf weeds were harder to kill	Weed Technol. 23(3)
UF/IFAS landscape trial	Labeled rates	Spurge, large crabgrass, oxalis at 8 weeks old	All 3 fully recovered after 4 weeks	UF/IFAS EP580

1. Total weeds36
2. Grass weeds9
3. Broadleaf weeds67

Source: Webber, White, Shrefler and Spaunhorst, Journal of Agricultural Science 10(8), 2018, Table 2 Averaged across 20 and 100 gal/acre and three adjuvant treatments; large crabgrass at 1 to 2 leaves, Lane, Okla. Water-only plots: 0, 3 and 0%.

Show the numbers

	5% acetic acid	20% acetic acid
Total weeds	36	57
Grass weeds	9	28
Broadleaf weeds	67	94

Acetic acid	Total weed control	Grass control	Broadleaf control
0% (water)	0%	3%	0%
5%	36%	9%	67%
20%	57%	28%	94%

What strength of vinegar kills weeds?

For anything past the seedling stage, 20 percent acetic acid is the working strength. Grocery vinegar runs 4 to 6 percent, and NPIC defines horticultural vinegar as 20 percent or more (NPIC). UConn Extension says vinegar must reach at least 10 percent to work on anything bigger than tiny seedlings (UConn Extension). Above 20 percent, the extra acid adds burn risk to skin and eyes faster than it adds kill.

Acetic acid	Where you find it	Status as a weed killer	Hazard (GHS cutoff on SDS)	Source
4 to 6%	Distilled white and cider vinegar for food	Not labeled as an herbicide	Below the 10% irritant cutoff	NPIC
8% or less	Inert ingredient in minimum-risk products	Allowed only as an inert under FIFRA 25(b); acetic acid is not on the 25(b) active list	Below the 10% cutoff	40 CFR 152.25(f)
10% and up	Cleaning and horticultural vinegars	Above 8%, EPA says vinegar may not be an active ingredient in an unregistered product	Skin Irrit. 2 and Eye Irrit. 2 from 10%	EPA, Feb. 2026; SDS
20%	Registered herbicides: Vinagreen (EPA Reg. No. 85208-1) and store brands sold under it; Harris Vinegar Grass & Weed Killer II (3-24)	Registered; label signal word DANGER	Label: corrosive, irreversible eye damage	Vinagreen label; Harris 3-24 label
25% and up	30% and 45% cleaning vinegars	Sold as cleaners, with no herbicide directions	Skin Corr. 1B (burns) from 25%	Green Gobbler SDS

Do you dilute vinegar to kill weeds?

Do not dilute 5 percent vinegar or a registered 20 percent herbicide. Water only weakens household vinegar, and the Vinagreen label says that because dilution reduces effectiveness, do not dilute; its one exception is liverworts, at 1 gallon of product to 2 gallons of water (Vinagreen label, p. 5). Diluting a 30 or 45 percent cleaning vinegar is arithmetic, shown below, not a labeled use.

Start with	Target	Mix (by volume)	Gallons of spray per gallon bought	Arithmetic
30% cleaning vinegar	20%	2 parts vinegar, 1 part water	1.5	30 × 1 ÷ 20 = 1.5 gal
30% cleaning vinegar	10%	1 part vinegar, 2 parts water	3.0	30 × 1 ÷ 10 = 3.0 gal
45% vinegar	20%	4 parts vinegar, 5 parts water	2.25	45 × 1 ÷ 20 = 2.25 gal
20% registered herbicide	20%	Use as sold (label)	1.0	No dilution
5% grocery vinegar	5%	Use as sold	1.0	Adding water drops it below 5%

Which weeds does vinegar kill, and which grow back?

Vinegar reliably kills small annual broadleaf weeds and fails on grasses, sedges and anything with a perennial root. Webber, Shrefler and Brandenberger rank carpetweed as very sensitive even at low strength and yellow nutsedge as tolerant of high strength and volume (Webber et al., Organic Weed Control, 2012). University of Maryland Extension says larger and perennial weeds may begin to regrow about a week after spraying (UMD Extension).

A propane torch splits the same way: Nebraska trials killed 90 percent of broadleaf seedlings at 10 gallons of propane per acre while grasses regrew, as our answer to whether burning weeds kills them sets out by weed and stage.

Weed	Life cycle	What vinegar does	Source
Carpetweed	Annual broadleaf	Very sensitive at low strength and volume	Webber et al., 2012
Redroot pigweed	Annual broadleaf	100% control at the 2-leaf stage with 20%	Evans et al., 2009
Velvetleaf	Annual broadleaf	73% control, 18% mortality at 2 leaves; leaf angle sheds spray	Evans et al., 2009
Brown mustard	Annual broadleaf	Needs at least 15% for adequate control	Brainard et al., 2013
Large crabgrass	Annual grass	28 to 63% control with 20%; 8-week-old plants recovered	Webber 2018; UF/IFAS
Yellow nutsedge	Perennial sedge	Tolerates high strength and volume	Webber et al., 2012
Dandelion	Perennial broadleaf	Top kill only unless very young; 5% vinegar plants recovered within weeks	UMD; WSU Yakima, 2025
Canada thistle	Perennial broadleaf	100% top growth kill at 5%; repeated trim-and-spray cycles needed	ARS; WSU FS161E
Blackberry (mature)	Woody perennial	10% burned back 5% of leaves	WSU FS161E, 2015
Bermudagrass	Perennial grass	Suppression only; rhizomes and stolons regrow	UC IPM Pest Notes

The 20 or so weeds people most often spray in lawns and paths, from crabgrass to clover, are profiled with their control windows in our common lawn weeds identification guide. For crabgrass specifically, a preemergence timed to soil temperature does what vinegar cannot, as our crabgrass control guide explains. Bermudagrass, which vinegar only suppresses, has its own removal plan in our bermuda grass guide, and the rest of our lawn coverage sits in the turf and trees section.

Will vinegar kill grass?

Vinegar burns lawn grass blades on contact, and the Vinagreen label warns that spraying weeds in turf will kill the surrounding turf (Vinagreen label, p. 6). Established grass usually grows back, because its growing point sits at or below the soil surface where spray does not reach. University of Illinois Extension gives that as the reason broadleaf weeds are more susceptible than grasses (Illinois Extension, July 2021).

The trial numbers show how little grass vinegar kills. Webber’s best grass and crabgrass result was 44 to 63 percent control, with 20 percent acetic acid at 935 liters per hectare (100 gallons per acre), and that was on crabgrass with 1 or 2 leaves (Webber et al., 2018). Maryland Extension cites an earlier USDA ARS run at the same strength and volume at 28 to 45 percent.

Will grass grow back after vinegar?

Established lawn grass usually does: Maryland Extension says acetic acid burns grasses back temporarily, and Oregon State Extension notes that sprays leave the root system alone (UMD; Oregon State Extension). Seedling grass under 2 weeks old can die. If you want to keep a lawn and remove broadleaf weeds from it, a selective herbicide is the tool; our lawn weed killer guide compares the active ingredients by weed and grass type.

Is vinegar weed killer a registered pesticide?

Yes, when it is sold to kill weeds at herbicide strength. Registered products carry an EPA registration number and signal word; NPIC says every registered acetic acid herbicide carries DANGER because of eye and skin risk (NPIC). Vinagreen (EPA Reg. No. 85208-1) is 20.0 percent acetic acid; EPA’s label system lists more than 10 distributor registrations under it, including Green Gobbler 20% (85208-1-93489) and Nature’s Wisdom 20% (85208-1-90394) (EPA PPLS).

The minimum-risk exemption under FIFRA section 25(b) does not cover herbicide-strength vinegar. The permitted active ingredients at 40 CFR 152.25(f)(1) include sodium chloride but not acetic acid; vinegar appears only in the inert table, capped at 8 percent acetic acid (40 CFR 152.25(f)(2)). EPA states that vinegar may not be used as an active ingredient in unregistered, minimum-risk pesticides because acetic acid is a potent herbicide that can cause severe burns and eye damage (EPA, updated Feb. 26, 2026). Maryland adds its own rule: a product must be registered with the state chemist before it is used as a pesticide there (UMD Extension).

For paid work the rules tighten. UF/IFAS says it is illegal for commercial applicators to apply homemade herbicides as part of a landscape contract, and most states require a pesticide license for any weed control done for hire (UF/IFAS EP580). Our state-by-state pesticide applicator license guide lists the turf and ornamental category for each state.

Is vinegar weed killer organic?

Only when the acetic acid comes from fermentation. USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service says herbicides containing only natural substances, such as vinegar and clove oils, are allowed in certified organic production; synthetic acetic acid made from methanol is not acceptable, per Washington State University FS161E (USDA AMS; WSU FS161E). Vinagreen’s label reads For Organic Production, and its alternate names include Non-Synthetic Vinegar Weed Control.

What do vinegar guides get wrong?

Seven claims repeated across vinegar guides do not match the primary documents. The table pairs each with what the label, regulation or trial actually says. The most consequential is the product status: WeedPharm and AllDown, the two vinegar products extension pages name most often, lost their EPA registrations in January 2025 (Federal Register, Jan. 13, 2025).

Common claim	What the primary source says	Source
Vinegar of 8% or less is exempt from EPA registration	Vinegar of 8% or less is a permitted inert; a 25(b) product still needs an active ingredient from the 25(b) active list, which does not include acetic acid	40 CFR 152.25(f)
Spray on the hottest, sunniest day (above 85°F)	Vinagreen and Harris 3-24 labels: best on dry leaves at 50 to 75°F; above 75°F with low humidity may reduce efficacy. The cancelled WeedPharm label said full sun above 65°F. A 20-trial study found humidity helped and cloud cover had no effect	Vinagreen label; Weed Works label; Brainard 2013
Add orange oil or oil to make vinegar stick	Neither orange oil nor canola oil improved control; canola oil cut broadleaf control from 59 to 48%	Webber 2018, Table 4
Vinegar kills weeds to the root	Acetic acid does not travel through the plant; roots are not killed	NPIC; UMD
WeedPharm and AllDown are the vinegar herbicides to buy	EPA cancelled Weed Works 81936-1 (sold as WeedPharm, 20%), SummerSet AllDown 84069-1 and 84069-2, and Local 20 Weed Terminator 93740-2 on Jan. 13, 2025, for non-payment of the 2024 maintenance fee; existing stocks may be sold until exhausted	Federal Register 2025-00461
Green Gobbler weed killer is 20% vinegar	Its 20% product (85208-1-93489) is still an active supplemental registration, but the maker’s weed killer page now lists only Total Control, which its SDS calls a 25(b) minimum-risk pesticide with 3 to 5% acetic acid	SDS, Nov. 2022; Green Gobbler; SDS, Oct. 2023
30% cleaning vinegar is just stronger horticultural vinegar	Selling it with a weed claim makes it an unregistered pesticide: EPA Region 10 found a 20% vinegar listed under Herbicides on a price list to be one	EPA, FIFRA-10-2018-0204

How do you kill weeds with vinegar?

Spray young weeds on a dry, mild day until every leaf is wet, wearing goggles and waterproof gloves, then check for regrowth after 1 to 2 weeks. The steps below carry the label and extension numbers for each stage, using the Vinagreen label (EPA Reg. No. 85208-1) as the reference registered product (Vinagreen label, accepted Aug. 22, 2024).

1. Check the weed’s age. Target seedlings at 2 to 4 leaves (Montana State) or the label’s 3 to 5 leaf stage; 5 percent vinegar works only within 2 weeks of emergence (USDA ARS).
2. Choose the product. For herbicide use, NPIC recommends a product with an EPA registration number and signal word, so you get directions and precautions (NPIC). On an established stand, the Harris 3-24 label says to mow to 4 to 6 inches and remove clippings first (Harris 3-24 label).
3. Put on the label PPE: goggles or a face shield, a particulate mask such as N95, a long-sleeved shirt and long pants, waterproof gloves, and shoes plus socks (Vinagreen label, p. 3).
4. Pick the weather. Spray dry leaves at 50 to 75°F with no wind toward plants you want to keep, and wait 24 to 48 hours after rain (UMD Extension).

Label direction	Vinagreen (85208-1)	Harris II (3-24)	WeedPharm (81936-1, cancelled 2025)
Acetic acid	20%	20%	20%
Weed stage	3 to 5 leaves	3 to 5 leaves	3 to 5 leaves
Temperature	50 to 75°F, dry leaves	50 to 75°F, dry leaves	Full sun, above 65°F
Rate	44 to 88 fl oz per 1,000 sq ft	44 to 88 fl oz per 1,000 sq ft	15 to 30 gal per acre (0.34 to 0.69 gal per 1,000 sq ft)
Dilute?	No (liverworts 1:2 only)	No	No (liverworts 1:2 only)
Signal word	DANGER	DANGER	DANGER

5. Use a sprayer with plastic or 316 stainless steel nozzles, which the Harris 3-24 label requires, and a coarse droplet setting. Keep acid off aluminum, tin and iron, rinse any metal that gets wet, and avoid repeat applications on concrete, which acid can etch (Vinagreen label, p. 4).
6. Spray each weed to the point of wetness. The Vinagreen label rate is 44 to 88 fl oz per 1,000 sq ft, so 1 gallon treats about 1,450 to 2,900 sq ft; UMD Extension’s research coverage of 70 gallons per acre is heavier, about 1.6 gallons per 1,000 sq ft.
7. Keep people and pets out until the spray has dried; the label’s restricted-entry interval for workers is 48 hours.
8. Check after 24 hours, when over 90 percent of treated plants should be dead, and again at 1 to 2 weeks. The Vinagreen label says to repeat if new leaves appear; UMD Extension and the cancelled AllDown label set 2 weeks as the shortest interval (UMD Extension).

Should you add salt, Epsom salt or dish soap to vinegar?

Skip the salt and Epsom salt, and treat dish soap as optional at best. Table salt kills plants but moves through soil: University of Illinois Extension says it is highly mobile and spreads to beds you want to keep (Illinois Extension, May 2020). A University of Georgia Extension agent told UGA Today that Epsom salt does not do anything to kill weeds (UGA Today, Feb. 2026).

Additive	Claimed effect	What the source says	Source
Table salt (sodium chloride)	Dehydrates weeds	Mobile in soil, builds up with repeat sprays and harms nearby plants; leach with repeated soakings	Illinois Extension; UConn
Epsom salt (magnesium sulfate)	Draws out moisture	Does nothing to kill weeds; too much magnesium interferes with phosphorus uptake	UGA; UConn
Dish soap	Helps spray stick	No vinegar trial has tested dish soap as a treatment; the label lists any adjuvant to use	Webber 2018; UC IPM
Orange or canola oil	Penetrates leaf wax	No improvement; canola oil reduced broadleaf control	Webber 2018
Boiling water or more vinegar	Faster kill	Volume to full wetness improves control; higher strength adds burn risk	Evans 2009; UMD

NPIC’s caution on home remedies applies to all three: a mixed recipe has no label telling you how much to use, how often, or what protective gear to wear (NPIC, Pesticide home remedies). If a registered vinegar herbicide is in the sprayer, adding anything the label does not list makes the mix a use inconsistent with labeling, which the Vinagreen label calls a violation of federal law.

How much does vinegar weed killer cost?

Vinegar costs $3.94 to $29.97 a gallon at Walmart.com on Oct. 28, 2026, depending on strength and registration. Per area treated, cost follows spray volume: the Vinagreen label rate tops out at 88 fl oz (0.69 gallon) per 1,000 sq ft, while UMD Extension’s coverage target of 70 gallons per acre is 1.61 gallons (Vinagreen label; UMD Extension). The table converts each price to a 20 percent equivalent where the math allows.

Product (size)	Acetic acid	EPA herbicide registration	Price	Per gallon at 20%	Per 1,000 sq ft at 88 fl oz	Source
Great Value Distilled White Vinegar (1 gal)	5%	No	$3.94	n/a (5%)	$2.71 at 5%	Walmart.com
45% Pure Vinegar, Belle Chemical (1 gal)	45%	No	$19.99	$8.88	$6.11	Walmart.com
Harris 30% Concentrated Vinegar (1 gal)	30%	No (cleaner)	$15.97	$10.65	$7.32	Walmart.com
Expert Gardener 30% Vinegar Concentrate (1 gal)	30%	None found (described as a cleaner)	$16.97	$11.31	$7.78	Walmart.com
Green Gobbler 30% Concentrated Vinegar (1 gal)	30%	No (cleaner)	$19.88	$13.25	$9.11	Walmart.com
Nature’s Wisdom 20% Vinegar Weed & Grass Killer (1 gal)	20%	Yes, 85208-1-90394 (Vinagreen label)	$29.97	$29.97	$20.60	Walmart.com

1. 5% grocery vinegar2.71
2. 45% diluted to 20%6.11
3. Harris 30% diluted7.32
4. Expert Gardener 30% diluted7.78
5. Green Gobbler 30% diluted9.11
6. Nature's Wisdom 20% (registered)20.60

Source: Walmart.com prices checked Oct. 28, 2026; Vinagreen label rate (EPA Reg. No. 85208-1) Only the 20% registered product carries herbicide directions; diluted cleaners are arithmetic only. 5% vinegar works on seedlings only.

Show the numbers

	Cost per 1,000 sq ft
5% grocery vinegar	2.71
45% diluted to 20%	6.11
Harris 30% diluted	7.32
Expert Gardener 30% diluted	7.78
Green Gobbler 30% diluted	9.11
Nature's Wisdom 20% (registered)	20.60

Area to spray, in sq ft (sq ft)Product, priced per gallon of spray (Walmart.com, Oct. 28, 2026)Registered 20% herbicide, Nature's Wisdom ($29.97 a gal)30% cleaning vinegar diluted 2:1 to 20% ($10.65 to $13.25 a gal; no herbicide label)45% vinegar diluted 4:5 to 20% ($8.88 a gal; no herbicide label)5% grocery vinegar, seedlings only ($3.94 a gal)Spray volume88 fl oz per 1,000 sq ft (top of the 20% label rate)44 fl oz per 1,000 sq ft (low label rate)70 gal per acre (UMD Extension coverage target)

Gallons of spray per pass

0.69

Estimated product cost per pass, before tax$20 to $20

Gallons = area × spray volume; cost = gallons × price per gallon of spray. Label rate from the Vinagreen label (EPA Reg. No. 85208-1); diluted cleaning vinegars carry no herbicide directions. Results round to the nearest $5.

What does a typical driveway job cost with vinegar?

A worked example: weeds in the cracks and gravel edges of a 12 by 40 ft driveway, about 480 sq ft of sprayable area. At the top label rate of 88 fl oz per 1,000 sq ft, one pass takes 0.33 gallon, and a second pass 2 weeks later catches the next seedling flush. Every input is in the table, so you can swap in your own area and product.

Input	Value	Arithmetic
Area sprayed	480 sq ft	12 ft × 40 ft
Spray rate	88 fl oz per 1,000 sq ft (0.6875 gal)	Top of the Vinagreen label rate
Spray per pass	0.33 gal	480 × 0.6875 ÷ 1,000
Passes	2	Second pass 2 weeks later (UMD minimum interval)
20% registered herbicide at $29.97/gal	$19.78	0.33 × 2 × 29.97
30% cleaner diluted to 20% at $10.65/gal	$7.03	0.33 × 2 × 10.65; no herbicide label
5% grocery vinegar at $3.94/gal	$2.60	0.33 × 2 × 3.94; seedlings only
Same job at UMD’s 70 gal/acre, 20% registered	$46.24	480 × 1.607 ÷ 1,000 × 2 × 29.97

Against conventional herbicides, vinegar loses on cost per season. In a UMass study for the Massachusetts Highway Department, three citric-acetic acid applications cost $270 to $570 per highway mile per year against $20 for one glyphosate application, and the acid plots showed no suppression after 6 weeks (Barker and Prostak, HortTechnology, 2009). A California roadside study put natural products at more than 10 times the cost of glyphosate (Young, Weed Technology, 2004).

If the weeds are in a gravel driveway or rock bed, the cheaper long-term fix is often below the surface: our gravel driveway cost guide prices the fabric and base layers, and the river rock cost guide covers the 3-inch depth Colorado State recommends for weed control.

Is vinegar weed killer safe for people, pets and soil?

Herbicide-strength vinegar is the most hazardous product in many garden sheds for eyes. The Vinagreen label states that the 20 percent product is corrosive and causes irreversible eye damage, and NPIC warns that acetic acid can permanently damage the corneas (Vinagreen label, p. 3; NPIC). Vapor also rises faster in warm weather and can irritate the nose, throat and lungs.

Hazard	Number or rule	Source
Eye irritant classification	From 10% acetic acid (Eye Irrit. 2, H319)	Green Gobbler SDS, 2023
Skin burns classification	From 25% acetic acid (Skin Corr. 1B, H314)	Green Gobbler SDS, 2023
Skin burns and eye injury reported	11% acetic acid or greater	Webber et al., 2018
Air exposure limit	10 ppm over 8 hours, 15 ppm short-term	NIOSH Pocket Guide
Re-entry	Keep people out until spray dries; 48-hour REI for workers	Vinagreen label, p. 4
Wildlife	Toxic to birds, fish and aquatic invertebrates; do not apply to water	Vinagreen label, p. 4
Soil breakdown	75% degraded in 14 days with a garden-soil inoculum	NLM PubChem, CID 176

In soil, acetic acid does not last. EPA’s 2008 registration review summary says acetic acid and its salts break down to carbon dioxide and water in days to weeks and are not persistent (EPA, Acetic Acid and Salts Summary Document, 2008). Washington State University Extension notes a slight, temporary drop in pH and a small rise in acetate salts that rain leaches out (WSU Extension Yakima, June 2025).

Pets are covered by the same rule as people: the Vinagreen label says to keep unprotected persons out of treated areas until the spray has dried (48 hours for workers), and NPIC says never to leave any pesticide unattended around children or pets. Store concentrates in the original container, never a drink bottle.

Should you use vinegar on your weeds?

Use vinegar when the weeds are annual broadleaves under 5 leaves on hard surfaces or bare ground; use something else for lawns, grasses and perennials. The table and the flowchart below hold the same thresholds, drawn from the trials, label and extension sources above.

If your situation is	Do this	Why (source)
Weeds inside a lawn you want to keep	Do not spray vinegar; use a selective lawn herbicide or hand-pull	Spraying weeds in turf kills surrounding turf (Vinagreen label)
Seedlings under 2 weeks old on a patio, path or bare soil	5% household vinegar, soaked to wetness	5% killed weeds in their first 2 weeks (USDA ARS)
Annual broadleaf weeds at 2 to 5 leaves	Registered 20% product at full wetness	94% broadleaf control with 20% (Webber 2018)
Crabgrass or other grass weeds	Pull, or prevent with a preemergence; do not rely on vinegar	28% average grass control with 20% (Webber 2018)
Dandelion, Canada thistle, bermudagrass or nutsedge	Dig, smother or plan repeated trim-and-spray cycles	Roots regrow (WSU FS161E; UC IPM)
Weeds next to aluminum, iron or concrete you care about	Hand-pull or shield the surface; rinse any overspray	Acid stains metal and can etch concrete (Vinagreen label)
Spraying for paying customers	Use only a registered product under your pesticide license	Homemade herbicides are illegal in landscape contracts (UF/IFAS)

1. 1Is the weed growing inside a lawn you want to keep?

   YesDo not spray vinegar: label says it kills surrounding turf. Use a selective lawn herbicide or pull it.

   NoGo to the next question

2. 2Is it a perennial with a root system, such as dandelion, Canada thistle, bermudagrass or nutsedge?

   YesExpect top kill only. Dig it, smother it, or plan repeated trim-and-spray cycles.

   NoGo to the next question

3. 3Is it a grass weed such as crabgrass?

   YesExpect 28 to 63 percent control at best with 20 percent acetic acid. Pull it or prevent it.

   NoGo to the next question

4. 4Is the weed 2 weeks old or younger?

   Yes5 percent household vinegar can kill it if every leaf is soaked.

   NoGo to the next question

5. 5Is it past the 5-leaf stage?

   YesPull it, or accept partial control; label timing is the 3 to 5 leaf stage.

   NoSpray a registered 20 percent acetic acid product to wetness on dry leaves at 50 to 75°F, with goggles and waterproof gloves.

Source: Vinagreen label (EPA Reg. No. 85208-1); USDA ARS 2002; Webber et al. 2018; WSU FS161E

Number to remember	What it means	Source
2 weeks	Oldest weed 5% vinegar reliably killed	USDA ARS
20%	Strength of registered acetic acid herbicides	NPIC
1.6 gal per 1,000 sq ft	Spray volume at 70 gal/acre	UMD Extension
50 to 75°F	Label temperature range for best results	Vinagreen label
Every 2 weeks	Shortest re-spray interval	UMD Extension

This page is general information, not pesticide or legal advice. Read and follow the label of any product you use; the label is the law, and state rules on pesticide registration and licensing differ.